Srixon

When Srixon talks about the big changes to its drivers this year, it’s not about overt shape transformations or new materials culled from the rings of Saturn. No, these changes are measured in tenths of a millimetre, but they fundamentally alter how much flex is in the clubface. The funny thing is, making the club progressively thinner, softening certain curves and reformulating layers have nothing to do with the face itself. It’s what the company calls its “Rebound Frame”, which makes the face flex more by changing the stiffness around the face. This approach includes a 30 percent thinner section at the front of the crown, a strip of a thinner titanium alloy around the frame for extra flex and a larger carbon-fibre crown and internal sole ribs that add rigidity. The ZX7 features a more penetrating, lower-spinning trajectory combined with adjustable weights in the heel and toe to tweak the centre of gravity. The ZX5 stretches longer front to back for more forgiveness on off-centre hits and a higher flight.

LOFTS 9.5, 10.5 (zx7); 9.5, 10.5 (zx5); adjustable